Russia and the World in the Putin Era: From Theory to Reality in Russian Global Strategy

Description

This volume examines the role of Russia in the world under President Putin's rule. When the Soviet Union disintegrated after the Cold War, Russia seemingly embarked on the establishment of a democratic political system and seemed intent on joining the liberal international order. However, under President Putin's rule, there have been dramatic shifts in Russian domestic and foreign policies, in order to re-establish itself as a great power. This book examines broad aspects of Russian political culture and threat perception, such as Russia's reaction to NATO expansion; its information warfare and energy policies; and its policy towards the Global South, especially the Middle East and Africa. The objective of the analyses is to explain the factors that influence Russian foreign policy, and to show how and why Russian relations with the European Union and the United States have deteriorated so rapidly in recent years. The volume introduces an alternative approach to the standard realist perspective, which often underlies existing analyses of Russian policy - namely, the work offers a theoretical perspective that focuses on the Russian sense of identity and on ontological security. This book will be of much interest to students of Russian foreign policy, security studies, and International Relations. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Contributors Preface Note Introduction: Russia foreign policy and the return to authoritarian roots Notes Bibliography Part I: Sources and tools of Russian foreign policy 1. Russia's self-image as a great power Russia as a great power Russia as an empire The role of the West The break in biographical continuity Notes References 2. Russian strategic culture and renewed conflict with the West The turn toward the West followed by Putin's "great power" narrative Strategic culture and Russian foreign policy From the Yeltsin honeymoon to Putin's policy shift Russia vs. NATO and the EU: the gas wars and the war in Georgia From the failed Obama-Medvedev "reset" to the Ukraine crisis The Eurasian Union and the Ukraine crisis A new cold war and the Russian challenge to the liberal world order Donald Trump's impact on East-West relations Notes References 3. Images and decision-making in foreign policy: the case of Vladimir Putin Introduction Images in international relations theory: the received wisdom Mapping images: the theory revisited Vladimir Putin: his foundational image and his image of the Syrian civil war President Putin's first core belief: the ontological centrality of states President Putin's second core belief: preserving the dagger and not feeding the enemy's army President Putin's third core belief: keeping Chekhov's rifle from going off President Putin's fourth core belief: great powers' as custodians of international society President Putin's image of the Syrian civil war Conclusion and the path forward Notes References 4. Atlanticism in an age of great power competition: is Russia achieving its goals? Introduction The Ukraine crisis Challenges within Atlanticism Atlanticism in an age of great power competition Russian foreign policy and the transatlantic relationship Conclusion Note References 5. The battle of ontological narratives: Russia and the annexation of Crimea Introduction The history of conflict and annexation The ontological meaning of Crimea for Russia The context of conflict and the ontological meaning of Ukraine for Russia Ukraine's biographic narrative interpreted by Ukrainian nationalists Similar narratives: freedom and fascism Russian rhetoric on Ukraine Western narrative in the conflict Conclusion Notes Bibliography 6. The role of energy in Russian foreign policy Russia in former soviet space: energy and foreign policy EU-Russia energy relationship OPEC, oil prices, and Russia's power play in the middle east Russia in Asia: energy politics Conclusion Notes References Part II: The Russian response to U.S. policies 7. NATO, U.S. grand strategy and the Russian response The case for a post-cold war NATO NATO expands, facing few obstacles NATO on Russia's border The Russian reaction Was an alternative path possible? The hazards of continued NATO enlargement Avoiding threat inflation regarding Russia Conclusion: looking ahead Notes References 8. The politics of sanctions in U.S.-Russia relations Sanctions as a foreign policy tool Sanctions in U.S. Russia policy Sanctions and America's allies Russia's response to U.S. sanctions Russia's options in the global economy Conclusion Notes References Part III: Russian policy in the developing world 9. A comparison of Soviet and Russian foreign policy: ontological security and policy toward Africa The role of ontological security in the engagement of the USSR and Russia in Africa The convergence of ontological narratives The emergence of Soviet policy in the developing world From retrenchment to the collapse of the Soviet state The Russian federation and Africa Conclusion Notes References 10. Russia's expanding role in the eastern Mediterranean: opportunities and challenges Russia's objectives in the eastern Mediterranean Russia's energy policy in the eastern Mediterranean Russia's military presence in the eastern Mediterranean: Syria Russia's relations with Libya, Egypt and Cyprus Russia as a mediator Russia's relations with Turkey Conclusion Notes References 11. The new great game: ontological factors in western and rising powers' competition in Venezuela Western perspective: growing dissonance and transatlantic divide Historical context Security interests Economic interests Normative and ontological interests Transatlantic divisions Rising powers: converging and conflicting interests Historical context Economic interests Geopolitical and ontological approaches Global shifts Notes References Conclusion Index